USNS Ship Rescues Nine in Gulf of Oman

'USNS Richard E. Byrd' (T-AKE 4), a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship, rescued 9 crew members from a Yemeni-flagged cargo vessel 'Asaed' that had lost power, was taking in water and was adrift in the Gulf of Oman, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs.

The crew from Asaed requested assistance and Byrd was the first ship on scene. The crew of the Yemini vessel abandoned in their ship's lifeboat and maneuvered to the military ship, where they were safely recovered.

There are no reports of casualties or injuries to personnel. The Yemeni sailors are being further evaluated by Byrd's medical team. The Navy will coordinate the sailors' transfer ashore.



USNS Richard E. Byrd is currently on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.